The History of the First 3D Game
The dawn of the 3D era of gaming kicked off in the mid-90s with the development and release of the first true 3D game. Since then, 3D gaming has grown to become the industry standard for modern video game graphics.
What Was the First 3D Game?
The first 3D game was Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss. This role-playing game was released in March 1992. It was developed by Looking Glass Technologies and published by Origin Systems.
The game featured a fully three-dimensional environment in which the player could explore its dungeons and castles. The game featured an immersive story and rich RPG gameplay. It was well ahead of its time and ultimately inspired a number of other games.
Notable Features
Ultima Underworld had a number of features which were not seen in other games from the time. These features included:
- Real-time combat – Ultima Underworld featured real-time combat with a variety of weapons available.
- Non-linear design – The game allowed the player to explore and interact with its environment as they wished.
- Dynamic lighting – The game featured dynamic lighting which could be used to create atmosphere and add depth to the game.
Ultima Underworld was revolutionary and was highly acclaimed by fans and critics alike. It was even credited as an influence on future games such as Doom and Tomb Raider.
Conclusion
Ultima Underworld is widely considered to be the first true 3D game and is credited as a source of inspiration for many games which would follow. It was revolutionary in its time and is still remembered fondly today.
